A second and later example of e-lore using the image of O. J. Simpson, received (as was the first) from Lisa Zimmerman. While not as blatantly racist as the image comparing O. J. Simpson to Osama bin Laden (see link below), it does seem odd that almost all the "criminals" in the pictorial lineup, below, are African-American, with the notable exception of Bill Clinton. His presence here may be explained by his recent (in Summer 2001) move to Harlem, where he keeps offices, and by his longtime concerns with race relations in the U. S.; in the fall of 2002, the author Toni Morrison referred to Clinton as "the first Black president."

It's important to understand the larger contemporary and folkloric context of this message, which would certainly have been known to most who received it in the Fall of 2001. Jesse Jackson ("Bin Cheatin'") had recently admitted to an affair with a campaign aide which resulted in her giving birth to his child. Also, the images are a sort of visual allusion to a whole cycle of jokes that were circulating at the time whose punchlines relied on the "bin (blank)'in" formula (see examples below). At least one of these was overtly racist--possibly the inspiration for this image (or, at any rate, closely related to it).

At around the same time this visual "joke" was circulating, a number of text-based variants were also in circulating (and presumably, were circulating orally as well)--see examples below.

From: Lisa Zimmerman
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 01:29:20 EST
Subject: Fwd: Fw: The "Other" Bins....
To: rvhatha@bentley.unco.edu

[NOTE: The original message came with a number of previous "To/From" headers, which I've chosen to delete in the interest of space and confidentiality. The earliest date of circulation cited was Thursday, November 15, 2001, five days before I received it. The only commentary in the header was from one sender who remarked "Thought this was so cute, had to send it to everybody."]

The following three texts illustrate a widespread joke cycle that emerged prior to my receiving the above .jpg image, in late October 2001. While all of these jokes could be and presumably were told orally, I only "heard" them over e-mail. The first two examples were posted to the NEWFOLK listserve by folklorist Bill Ellis, and the third I received in a more spontaneous or "natural" context from my brother, Mark Hathaway. Since my family is originally from West Virginia, that provides a little more "personal" context for the joke (and I'll admit that it's the one I found funniest).

The second example Ellis provides is the one that seems potentially linked to the above image, as it focuses on the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati, a traditionally African-American neighborhood that was the site of serious racial protests in the spring of 2001, after a Cincinnati police officer was acquitted of shooting an African-American man. The Over-the-Rhine example, in particular, raises questions about audience--questions which are so complex and difficult to answer in an electronic context. While I found the "hillbilly" version of the joke funny because it came from a "fellow" hillbilly, I probably would not have found it as funny if sent to me by someone outside that group. Without knowing the specific contexts in which the Over-the-Rhine version circulated, it's hard to divorce the joke's locale from events earlier in 2001, and therefore difficult not to read it as racist.

From: Bill Ellis
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 5:47 AM
To: NEWFOLK@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU
Subject: An International WTC Joke


Text 1: Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001

The Royal Ulster Constabulary ( police in Northern Ireland) have
arrested 3 IRA collaberators of bin Laden: bin Drinkin, bin
Sleepin and bin Smokin.

Reports of a 4th member of the cell called bin Wurkin have been
discounted by the police. [Courtesy: Christie Davies, Reading, UK]

Text 2: dated 10/18/2001

Forwarder's comment: Well, you can be sure you won't find Bin Hidden

Latest news reports advise that a cell of 5 terrorists has been
operating in the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Police advised earlier today that 4 of the 5 have been detained.

Cincinnati Police Officials stated that the terrorists, Bin
Sleepin, Bin Drinkin, Bin Lootin and Bin Fightin have been
arrested on civil unrest issues.

The Police advise further that they can find no one fitting the
description of the fifth cell member, Bin Workin, in the neighborhood.

Police are confident that anyone who looks like Workin will be
very easy to spot in the community.
[Courtesy Ruth Aten and William Hansen]
[snip]

Anyone else encountered this item?

From: Mark Hathaway
Subject: FWD: Terrorists in West Virginia
To: rvhatha@bentley.univnorthco.edu [and other family members originally from West Virginia]
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 10:33:45 -0400

This was sent to me by a buddy of mine from Clay.....

----- Forwarded by Mark J Hathaway/Nationwide/NWIE on 10/23/2001 10:32 AM-----

From: "Nichols, Chad"
To: Mark Hathaway
Subject: FWD: Terrorists in
West Virginia
10/23/2001 09:51 AM

Latest news reports advise that a cell of 4 terrorists has been operating
in West Virginia. Police advise earlier today that 3 of the 4 have been
detained.The West Virginia State Police stated that the terrorists Bin Loafin, Bin
Drinkin, and Bin Fightin have been arrested on immigration issues.The Police
advise further that they can find no one fitting the description
of the fourth cell member, Bin Workin, in the state. Police are confident
that anyone who looks like Workin will be very easy to spot in the
community.